Shipping container for tablets having dispensing structure



Sept. '17, 1957 B. K.'THoMEN SHIPPING CONTAINER FoR TABLETS HAVING.DIsRENsI'NG STRUCTURE' Filed June' s, 1954 INVENTOR.

Ill-Ill AWM.

United States Patent O SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR TABLETS HAVEN@ DISPENSINGSTRUCTURE Bina K. Thoxnen, Gardner, Kans., assigner to The CramerChemical Company, Gardner, Kans., a corporation oi Kansas Application.lune 8, 1954, Serial No. 435,261) 1 Claim. (Cl. 221-264) This inventionrelates to carton construction and more particularly to that class ofpackaging means including self-contained dispensing apparatus whereinthe entire device is rendered disposable after vending of the contentsof the carton.

There are many types of merchandise adapted for packaging in disposablecartons `and which are used from time to time as the same are dispensedsingly from the container therefor. As an example, it is quite commonpractice to locate a small dispenser of salt tablets adjacent a waterfountain, particularly in factories.

It is accordingly, the most importan-t object of this invention toprovide a combination shipping and dispensing carton for salt tabletsand the like that is extremely simple and therefore, inexpensive tomanufacture, yet positive in its operation and effective in dispensingsalt tablets singly, in much the same manner as in more expensivedispensers not normally disposed of when depleted of tablets.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a device of theaforementioned `character that includes a reciprocable, perforated trapso formed that the walls of the carton serve as stops to determine theextent of sliding movement of the trap on the bottom wall of the carton.

Another object hereof is to provide in dispensing means for disposablecartons, a pocket for receiving the tablets and surrounding thedischarge hole of the trap, whereby the tablets are pre-aligned and madeready for receipt by the hole of the trap at all times.

A still further object hereof is to provide novel means to present adeector plate for the tablets in the carton effective additionally toIhold the trap and its associated parts .in place within the disposablecarton.

Many other more minor objects will be made clear as the followingspecification progresses.

ln the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a combination shipping anddispensing carton for tablets or the like made pursuant to the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l, parts being broken awayand in section to reveal details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a substantially central, vertical, cross-sectional view takenon line III--III of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse, horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on lineIV-IV of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

As will hereinafter appear, the structure forming the subject matterhereof is adapted particularly for production rfrom inexpensive materialsuch as light-weight, corrugated cardboard, and to this end,irrespective of the material chosen, each element of the shipping cartonand dispenser may be made from the same material including scrap andwaste products.

In view of the fact that the same is to be disposed of after dischargeof salt tablets or the like, it is particularly important that theaforesaid considerations relative to expense of manufacture, be keptforemost in the mind of the manufacturer. The shipping carton forpackaging the salt tablets 10, includes a container broadly designatedby the numeral 12, and including four side walls 14, 16, 18 `and 20, atop wall 22 and a bottom wall 24. Walls 18 and 20 constitute the backand front of the carton 12 respectively, and `the top and bottom or endwalls 22 and 24, include a plurality of aps folded in the usual manneras indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and held in a closed condition by astrip of tape 26.

It is contemplated that one of the flaps of each wall 22 and 24 bepre-cut to present tabs 28 and 30 that may be bent upwardly from thecondition shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing to the position illustrated byFigs. 2 and 3. The tabs 28 and 30 present means for mounting of thecarton 12 on a wall or the like ladjacent a drinking fountain in theusual manner. Tabs 2S Land 30 will readily receive a nail, tack or otherfastening element.

There is superimposed upon the bottom wall 24 within the connues ofcarton 12, a false bottom 32 to present a smooth surface upon which atrap 34 may slide, which smoothness is not made possible by the fourinturned aps of the bottom wall 24. Trap 34 is substantially T-shaped,presenting a stem 36 and a cross member 38, the former being in turnprovided with a ringer receiving portion 49. The width of cross member38 is less than the distance between the walls 14 and 16 of container12, and the width of the stem 36 and the length of a slot 42 forreceiving the stem 36, are appreciably less than the length of the crossmember 3S. The elongated slot 42 is formed in the front wall 20 of thecontainer 12 adjacent the bottom wall 24 and is sufficiently large topermit free sliding, reciprocable movement of the trap 34 toward andaway from the rear wall 18.

The trap 34 and particularly the stem 36 thereof is provided with a hole44 for receiving a single tablet 10, it being noted in Fig. 3 of thedrawing that the thickness of the trap 34 is substantially the same asthe thickness of the tablets lll. When the trap 34 is at the innermostend of its path of travel with the cross member 38 against the back wall18, hole 44 is within the carton 12 in overlying relationship to thefalse bottom 32. When the trap is pulled outwardly through the slot 42until the cross member 38 strikes the innermost face of the front wall20, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the hole 44 isoutside the container 12 where the `tablet 10 falls therefrom by gravityto the hand of the operator.

A U-shaped element 46 in the nature of a dat plate is superimposed uponthe trap 34 within the container 12. Plate 46 has a bight portion 48that is in overlying engagement with the cross member 33 when the trap34 is at the innermost end of its path of travel. Plate 46 hasadditionally, a pair of spaced, parallel legs 50 in partial overlyingengagement with the marginal edges of the stem 36 when trap 34 is at theinnermost end of its path of travel.

The legs 50, together with the frontrwall 2) above trap 34, present apocket 52 that completely surrounds the hole 44 as is clear in Figs. 2to 4 inclusive. The pocket 52 presents a receiverfor the tablets 10 byvirtue of the fact that the thickness of the plate 46 is substantiallythe same as the thickness of the tablets 1l). The width of the pocket 52is preferably slightly greater than the diameter of the lt-ablets 10,but less than the combined diameter of two tablets to the end that thetablets are effectively fed to the hole 44 without bridging or jamming.

Thus, as shown in Fig. 3 of :the drawing, there is always presented anumber of tablets 10 lying atly on Patented Sept. 17, 1957 aaoaees thetrap 34, one of which will readily fall into the hole 44 and rest uponthe false bottom 32 when trap 34 is returned to the innermost end of itspath of travel. The plate 46 and particularly the legs 50 thereof, servethe additional function of preventing tablets from falling alongside thestem 36 and upon the false bottom 32 within the path of travel of thecross member 38 toward the front wall 20.

A U-shaped element 54 within the container 12, includes a bight 56 and apair of spaced, parallel legs 58 and 60. The legs 58 and 60 lie flatlyagainst the inner faces of side walls 14 and 16 respectively and areheldv thereagainst by an inclined deector plate 62 integral with bightportion 48 of element 46 along a line of bend 63. By virtue of the legs58 and 69 bearing against the inner face of the front wall 20, bight 56is held in engagement with the inner face of the rear wall 18. Likewise,the legs 58 and 60, as well as the bight 56 of element 54, bear againstthe innermost aps of the top wall 22, thereby holding the element 54 inengagement with the false bottom 32 upon which it rests. Thus, theelement 54 serves `to hold the false bottom 32 in place upon the primarybottom wall 24 -and trap 34 slides freely between legs 58 and 60 as wellas between false bottom 32 and plate 46.

The deector plate 62 forms an integral part of the bight 56 of element54, and as is clear in the drawing, is

inclined downwardly and forwardly from bight 56, away from rear wall1,8. It is clear that the deector 62 serves to guide the tablets 10 intothe pocket 52 assuring a complete exhaustion of all tablets 10 prior todisposal of the entire device` As above indicated, the carton 12 isiilled with tablets 10, completely closed by use of tape or the like 26,and thereupon shipped to a point of use. During shipment, the ngenpiece40 of the trap 34 may likewise be taped against the front wall ifdesired, or, the linger-piece 40 may be bent upwardly -and the entirecarton packaged in another container (not shown) for shipment. Theultimate user need merely pull the tabs 28 and 30 out- Wardly andutilize the same to attach the carton, Whereupon the dispensing meansmay immediately be placed in use in the manner above described.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

A combination shipping and dispensing carton comprising a hollow tabletcontainer having top, bottom, front, back and side walls; a false bottomin the container; a U-shaped element in the carton having an upper edgeengaging the top wall, a lower edge engaging the false bottom, avertical bight engaging the back Wall and a pair of vertical legs eachengaging a side wall, the bight having a flat deector plate integraltherewith and sloping downwardly and forwardly from the lowermost endthereof toward the front wall and false bottom, there being a at,horizontal member integral with the plate and spanning the distancebetween the lower end of the latter' and said front wall, the plate andthe member spanning the distance between said legs, said member having aU- shaped, tablet-receiving pocket opening at said front wall; and aTshaped trap slidably engaging the member and the false bottomtherebetween and in parallelism there with, said trap having a crossmember at the rearmost end thereof normally engaging the back wallbeneath the deflector and spanning the distance between said legs, andan elongated stem, narrower than the distance between said legs andspaced therefrom, said stem having a tabletreceiving hole normallyregistering with the pocket, there being a slot in the front wallreceiving the stem, said stem terminating in an upturned,finger-receiving portion disposed exteriorly of the `container forpulling the trap outwardly to thereby dispense a tablet from said holeas the cross member is moved against the front wall.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

